Fantasy football: Realistic owners in keeper leagues have big decision to make

There comes a point in every fantasy football season when owners have to make a decision: Now, or next year?

Well, at least for those in keeper leagues.

For those playing in standard redraft leagues, the answer always is
emphatically NOW. There is no next year. But in the increasingly popular
keeper format, owners out of the playoff picture this late in the game
should start turning their attention to the
next campaign if all realistic chances of making the playoffs are gone.

TRADE TARGETS

Jacoby Ford, WR, Raiders: The diminutive but fast
receiver for Oakland looks healthy again, at least for now. Ford really
can do it all -- he is a starting receiver, he runs reverses and he
returns kickoffs. Think of him as Percy Harvin,
but better.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Dolphins: Thomas has battled
injuries all year and now has to battle a suddenly resurgent Reggie
Bush. There is a good chance the Thomas owner in your league will unload
him for less than value.

Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers: Hines Ward is no spring
chicken. Emmanuel Sanders was supposed to be Ward's heir apparent, but a
leg injury kept him out of the preseason while Brown seized the
opportunity. Brown is the next-best receiver on
this team now, second only to fantasy stud Mike Wallace.

Roy Helu, RB, Redskins: 14 catches. That number
jumps off the page after Helu's first start in Washington last weekend.
Helu clearly has the talent to be an all-around running back, but
starting a player coached by Mike Shanahan is legalized
gambling every week. Still, there is too much talent in Helu to avoid.

James Starks, RB, Packers: The numbers have not been
great for Starks because of the greatness of Aaron Rodgers. Perhaps
when the weather turns colder, Starks will get more opportunities to
score. Regardless, Starks is the running
back of the future for a great offensive team. The touchdowns will
come.

Mark Ingram, RB, Saints: An injury to Ingram now has
slowed his solid rookie campaign. Solid, not stellar. And that is a
good thing for fantasy owners looking to grab him cheaply right now in
keeper leagues. Ingram only is going to get
better.

Sam Bradford, QB, Rams: For whatever reason,
Bradford just cannot throw touchdowns this year. It is an anomaly.
Injuries to the wide receiving corps have decimated this team all
season. This is a down year, but I think next year will be
a big bounce-back season for Bradford and Co.

DEEPER TARGETS

C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills: Fred Jackson is having the
season of his life. But he is getting older and the Bills will need to
look toward the future soon enough. Spiller was drafted to be that
future, and being a few seasons behind Jackson be a good thing for him.

Delone Carter, RB, Colts: He probably would have
been a lot more serviceable this season had Peyton Manning not been
hurt. Carter now has taken a back seat to Donald Brown because the Colts
cannot play with a lead -- or anything close to
it. The future still is bright for this guy to potentially be a 15+
carry guy one day.

Kendall Hunter, RB, 49ers: Just like Fred Jackson,
Frank Gore is no youngster. Hunter has shown some ability as Gore's
backup this season, so there might be something here for the future.

WEDNESDAY NOTES

Sanders had arthroscopic knee surgery
and is expected to miss several weeks. ... Kevin Kolb could miss another
week, but it should not bother Larry Fitzgerald much. John Skelton gets
him plenty of targets to be productive. ...
Darren McFadden is out for Thursday night's game against the Chargers. Get
Michael Bush in lineups again this week. ... Miles Austin is out
two to four weeks with a hamstring strain. Go get Laurent Robinson off
the waiver wire this week. ... Speaking of Hunter,
Gore sprained his ankle in Week 9. Hunter could see more work
this weekend to help keep Gore off it. ... No Jahvid Best, Peyton Hillis
or Montario Hardesty again this weekend.

Michael McNeil is a weekly contributor to NOLA.com and a regular fantasy blogger for thehazean.com.